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Expansion joints are an important aspect of any building project, as they allow buildings to adjust to environments and temperatures. Also used as a transition between two surfaces to help to absorb movement and thermal expansion. Expansion joints prevent the deck slabs from colliding and cracking, tension cracking and bending out of shape. They can be used when there is a concern of structural damage due to the expansion or contraction of those surfaces. For example, when there is movement between the two surfaces an expansion joint is between the joint can adequately maintain its seal and position. Commonly expansion joints are found between sections of buildings, bridges, sidewalks, railway tracks, piping system, ships and other structures.
Building faces, concrete slabs and pipelines expand and contract due to warming and cooling from seasonal variation. Before expansion joint gaps were built into these structures, they would crack under the stress induced.